These reflections are a result of more than 40 years of ministry as a Roman Catholic priest. Most of these years I spent in the Diocese of Charlotte which covers Western North Carolina. Now I am retired, and live in Medellín, Colombia where I continue to serve as a priest in the Archdiocese of Medellín.
Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 78)
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
Yet he commanded the skies above and the doors of heaven he opened;
He rained manna upon them for food and gave them heavenly bread.
Man ate the bread of angels, food he sent them in abundance.
R. The Lord gave them bread from heaven.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072325.cfm
Mere humans, men and women, ate the Bread of Angels. Bread of Angels is an ancient title of the Eucharist. https://youtu.be/79kTCw4543k?si=EKXpG0_nEGlx7z1I
Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni," which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, "Stop holding on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them, 'I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and then reported what he told her. (Jn 20:1-2, 11-18)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072225.cfm
The church has always called Mary Magdalene the “Apostle to the Apostles.” Her celebration has the rank of ‘feast,’ the same dignity as any of the apostles. The Risen Lord appeared first to Mary Magalene, as the Fourth Gospel (the one called According to John) clearly states. Even though some have conveniently ignored this detail, Mary Magdalene still proudly proclaims to the disciples and to the church, “I have seen the Lord!” Today's photo is of Mary Magdalene and Christ the Gardner by Kelly Latimore.
Pharaoh made his chariots ready and mustered his soldiers— six hundred first-class chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt, with warriors on them all. The Egyptians, then, pursued them; Pharaoh's whole army, his horses, chariots and charioteers, caught up with them as they lay encamped by the sea. (Ex 14:5-18 & Ex 14:21-15:1)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072125.cfm
One of the greatest chase scenes ever! Because of tomorrow’s feast, wise liturgy planners expand today’s reading to include the conclusion which normally would follow tomorrow. It might not have happened as Cecil B. DeMille imagined it in the movie, The Ten Commandments, but it still brings goosebumps when it is read at the Easter Vigil.
Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. (Lk 10:38-42)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/072025.cfm
The story of Martha and Mary in Luke’s gospel provokes a lot of questions: but not about active and contemplative vocations in the church. My questions: Why does this gospel writer not mention the village by name, Bethany? Where is the sisters’ brother, Lazarus? and finally, Why does the raising of Lazarus (Jesus’ greatest miracle) not appear in this gospel? Don’t you just love Scripture?
At the end of four hundred and thirty years, all the hosts of the LORD left the land of Egypt on this very date. This was a night of vigil for the LORD, as he led them out of the land of Egypt; so on this same night all the children of Israel must keep a vigil for the LORD throughout their generations. (Ex 12:37-42)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/071925.cfm
The Easter Triduum, culminating in the Easter Vigil, celebrates the deliverance of all humanity from the slavery to sin and death through the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus. I’ll never forget my classmate from seminary who pulled me aside one day after class asking me to explain to him the Triduum. He had never heard of it. His family attended Mass every Sunday and holy day of obligation, but he had never even heard of the Easter Vigil. Needless to say, we had a lengthy conversation with a lot of alleluias!
